Burnham blasts Cameron over NHS cancer target failure

Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham has launched an attack on the Prime Minister over the government’s failure to meet the NHS cancer treatment target for a whole year. Over 20,000 people with urgent cancer referrals have waited more than two months for treatment – a 25% increase on the previous year. Burnham even went as far as saying that “in some cases, [cancer patients] chances of survival have been harmed”.

The fourth quarter of the year 2013/14 was the first time that this target had been breached since it became operational – yet it has now been breached for four quarters in a row – a whole year. This follows the confirmation late last year that real terms spending on cancer services has fallen since 2010.

Here’s what Burnham had to say about today’s statistics:

“These figures show that you can’t trust David Cameron with the NHS.

“In the last year, thousands of cancer patients have waited too long for treatment to start and, in some cases, their chances of survival have been harmed.

“David Cameron cut the cancer budget by £800 million in real terms and, despite all the warnings, he persisted with an NHS reorganisation that disrupted cancer services. The deterioration in cancer care is a direct consequence of Government policies and the clearest proof the Tories can’t be trusted with the NHS.

“Ministers have left families facing anxious waits for cancer tests and treatment and their complacency is dangerous. We have repeatedly called on the Government to produce a plan to turn things around but we are still waiting.

“When it comes to cancer, speed is everything. Labour is committed to cancer tests and results within one week to help end this scandal.”